Sergio Busquets Appreciation Thread.

SlickRic

I'm not normally one to start these threads, but this guy deserves one.

just behind Iniesta and Pirlo IMO for Player of the Tournament; just an absolutely sensational player, and someone who makes the game so easy for everyone around him.

like a great chess player he's always a couple of steps ahead, and is the fulcrum of both Barcelona and Spain's success. he allows Spain to build from the back with his nous and skill. he brings a calm to proceedings that only he could bring IMO. he must be an absolute dream to play with.

his positioning is perfect. watching the Spain/Portugal semi i was mesmerised by how he controlled things, especially once Portugal got more tired. he was always the one who picked up clearances and kept it simple.

he's simply phenomenal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijDdpNxPyPU

he's 23. he's won....

1 European Championship
1 World Cup
3 La Ligas
2 Champions Leagues
2 Copa del Reys
2 UEFA Super Cups
2 World Club Cups

seriously, go put your feet up, do nothing for the rest of your life, you've done it all.

and to think...Pep was lambasted for playing him instead of Yaya

GavRedKing

In before hes diving, play acting, nancy boy git.

Top quality player that gets the job done and rarely gets the recognition he fully deserves.

As ya said Slick, he might as well just hang up the boots and kick back.

eagle eye

I think he is an excellent player but lets not get carried away here. He is playing in a ridiculous midfield for Spain with Alonso, Xavi and Iniesta.


Alonso for me was the player of the tournament. Iniesta stepped it up in the knockout stages but Alonso was excellent from the get go. Busquets is still a bit raw but he is learning from the best and I think someday he will be up there at the top of the midfield rankings.

pickarooney

This is like one of those Open University 'Geometry is Fun' videos. It's probably not a coincidence that I despise the kind of music in the background. My brain just refuses to enjoy either that or the style of football Busquets plays. I can't imagine a kid wanting to grow up to be that guy who stands behind Ganso waiting for a mistake or making sideways passes.

IvySlayer

I hate him, I really hate him but he really is an exceptional player.

SlickRic

eagle eye wrote: »

I think he is an excellent player but lets not get carried away here. He is playing in a ridiculous midfield for Spain with Alonso, Xavi and Iniesta.

absolutely, but i don't think i'm getting carried away.

Busquets really is fundamental for it all to work.

he is the foundation of that system IMO because he both protects his back 4, and particularly full backs, extremely well, but his comfort in possession, and ability to out think would-be pressurisers (if that's even a word), makes him as key as the rest of those you mentioned.

Blatter

eagle eye wrote: »

I think he is an excellent player but lets not get carried away here. He is playing in a ridiculous midfield for Spain with Alonso, Xavi and Iniesta.


Alonso for me was the player of the tournament. Iniesta stepped it up in the knockout stages but Alonso was excellent from the get go. Busquets is still a bit raw but he is learning from the best and I think someday he will be up there at the top of the midfield rankings.

Iniesta ran the show against Italy, Ireland and Croatia in the group stages? Alonso was excellent but Iniesta on another planet.

On Busquets, I do think he'll go on to be probably the greatest defensive midfielder of all time. He's already one of them, that's for sure. Has the first touch and composure of a God, almost never loses the ball and his positioning is second to none.

G.K.

Fantastic player, and easily the best DM in the world.

Like Slic, I found watching him towards the end of the Portugal match mesmerising.

Boom_Bap

IvySlayer wrote: »

I hate him, I really hate him but he really is an exceptional player.

Exactly how I feel. He never leaves home without his imaginary yellow and red card set. And he either likes close inspection of grass or goes down very easy.

But, when he's not doing that, he is exceptional. He also knows the exact time in a game that he can press forward.

kryogen

I love and hate him in exactly equal measure these days, unbelievable player, easily the best in his position in the world and he is so young.

A lot of what he does seems to go unnoticed by many football fans, but over time everyone will be aware of his brilliance, it is because of him that the Spanish midfield can play how it does, he is fundamental to how Barcelona play also, I would give my left nut to have him in a United jersey, he is so perfect for the team and would be worth a place in any team in the world. This is the guy who forced Yaya out of Barca at the age of what 20,21? Unbelievable.

eagle eye

G.K. wrote: »

Fantastic player, and easily the best DM in the world.

Like Slic, I found watching him towards the end of the Portugal match mesmerising.

Alonso and Yaya Toure are better than him.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Himself and Pedro are without doubt 2 of the most underrated players playing for Barcelona. Busquets is a phenomenol player, he does everything that he should and more. Xavi described him as the best one touch passer in the world, and I wouldn't begrudge him that title. He rarely loses possesion, and apart from Xavi, he's the most important player in Barca/Spain's tika taka system. And to think he's only 23 yet is incredible.

kryogen

eagle eye wrote: »

Alonso and Yaya Toure are better than him.

For Spain I honestly would drop Alonso, as harsh as it would be an play the Barca trio in midfield, it would make the Spanish midfield so much more fluid, they do have a small problem in having to play Sergio Alonso and Xavi in the middle. Alonso would be the one to make way for me.

Yaya is not better then him in that position, not even nearly.

If he was then he would not have been pushed out of the team by him, Yaya is unbelievable when he has the license to get forward, but in the position Sergio plays he does not have an equal or better. imo of course.

Blatter

eagle eye wrote: »

Alonso and Yaya Toure are better than him.

They are different players really.

Alonso is better at long passing and is more creative, Busquets is better positionally, has better control of the ball and is a better one touch passer (one of the best in the world for sure)

Toure isn't better than either of them at any of those things, he's very powerful and more of a better box to box player. He's more of an excellent all rounder, rather than a specialist like Busquets or Alonso.

Equium

pickarooney wrote: »

I can't imagine a kid wanting to grow up to be that guy who stands behind Ganso waiting for a mistake or making sideways passes.

Why not? I have always found marking an opponent, or forcing them into making mistakes to be one of the most satisfying parts of football. Stopping a gifted player from having an impact on the game is right up there with scoring or dribbling past a defender in terms of enjoyment imo. It's not as if Busquets hasn't got the ability to do more with the ball either. His passing, ball control and vision are also exemplary. It just so happens that being a creative spark isn't part of the job description for him. I'm sure that he gladly gave up some of his attacking intent to win all those honours and have the oppurtunity to play in two fantastic teams.

eagle eye

kryogen wrote: »

For Spain I honestly would drop Alonso, as harsh as it would be an play the Barca trio in midfield, it would make the Spanish midfield so much more fluid, they do have a small problem in having to play Sergio Alonso and Xavi in the middle. Alonso would be the one to make way for me.

Yaya is not better then him in that position, not even nearly.

If he was then he would not have been pushed out of the team by him, Yaya is unbelievable when he has the license to get forward, but in the position Sergio plays he does not have an equal or better. imo of course.

Yaya wasn't pushed out as such, he was sold for huge money. And of course there is the thing where Barca prefer to have their Catalans in the team.

When Yaya Toure was playing midfield for Barca he was considered by most as the best defensive midfielder in the world. This has a lot to do with the style of football Barca play as every midfielder/forward becomes a defensive midfielder as soon as they lose possession. Its makes the job a lot easier for a DM in their side.

Alonso was at a different level this time, for me anyways its his best performance in a tournament for Spain.

kryogen

He was dropped behind Sergio in the pecking order, very clearly, and he showed why within a matter of months, he is the superior exponent of the role that Barca required and of course it is easy to say that Barca want Catalans in the first team, they do but not at the cost of success.

Abidal, Alves, Messi, Afellay, Villa etc are not Catalan and there have been others who have come and gone without having to be Catalan.

I think Yaya is one of the best players on the planet, but I think he is best when he can get forward and attack teams. Alonso is a different type of player to Sergio, but in a straight up choice, given the midfield options Spain have and the way they want to play Sergio would be my first choice, it is not a poor reflection on Aat all. I think he is also one of the best in the world at what he does.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Believe it or not Iniesta isn't Catalan either, although himself and Messi are as good as.

kryogen

THFC wrote: »

Believe it or not Iniesta isn't Catalan either, although himself and Messi are as good as.

Are they of Catalan descent?

lordgoat

G.K. wrote: »

Fantastic player, and easily the best DM in the world.

Like Slic, I found watching him towards the end of the Portugal match mesmerising.

Last 20 mins of that game should be an instruction video for positioning as a CM. Absolutely quality player.

andrew241983

Good player but all that is wrong with the game imo!!!!

missingtime

andrew241983 wrote: »

Good player but all that is wrong with the game imo!!!!

He's cut a lot of that feigning injury stuff (if thats what you were referring to) out of his game to be fair to him.

Richard Hillman

This thread is taking the wizz out of appreciation threads.

Liam O

Think he needs to prove himself in another league, might take him at Old Trafford

Jax Teller

Think Xavi called him the best one touch footballer he's ever seen . I'll take his word for it .

pickarooney

One touch and he hits the deck?

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

kryogen wrote: »

Are they of Catalan descent?

Haven't a clue about Iniesta but very much doubt Messi is. They've both spent the majority of their lives in Catalonia though, and Messi has a Spanish passport afaik.

SlickRic

andrew241983 wrote: »

Good player but all that is wrong with the game imo!!!!

nice hyperbole.

he exhibits some of what is wrong with the modern game.

the likes of Joey Barton exhibit all of what's wrong.

closeline

Is he and Xavi not a bit overrated. Busquets is surrounded by the best players on the world. Yes he is an excellent player but the majority of his passes are 5 yards and mostly sideways. I hate him by the way. Anyway Iniesta is miles ahead of both of them.

ThunbergsAreGo

kryogen wrote: »

For Spain I honestly would drop Alonso, as harsh as it would be an play the Barca trio in midfield, it would make the Spanish midfield so much more fluid, they do have a small problem in having to play Sergio Alonso and Xavi in the middle. Alonso would be the one to make way for me.

For me Busquets would be the one, if any had to go

I think Alonsos long range passing is better which helps provide some sort of variety

(not disputing Busquets is not a great player or an absolute tool)

Jax Teller

closeline wrote: »

Is he and Xavi not a bit overrated.

NO

closeline

missingtime wrote: »

He's cut a lot of that feigning injury stuff (if thats what you were referring to) out of his game to be fair to him.

Are you actually trying to rise some people. He is a disgrace at times the way he carries on.

ThunbergsAreGo

THFC wrote: »

Haven't a clue about Iniesta but very much doubt Messi is. They've both spent the majority of their lives in Catalonia though, and Messi has a Spanish passport afaik.

Iniesta is from Albacete (and invests in the club if i recall correctly)

closeline

Coletrickle88 wrote: »

NO

I would disagree anyway

missingtime

closeline wrote: »

Is he and Xavi not a bit overrated. Busquets is surrounded by the best players on the world. Yes he is an excellent player but the majority of his passes are 5 yards and mostly sideways. I hate him by the way. Anyway Iniesta is miles ahead of both of them.

I dont understand this idea that short, 5 yard, mostly sideways passes are considered a negative.

missingtime

closeline wrote: »

Are you actually trying to rise some people.

No, not at all.

Bertser

Apart from his diving antics, can't deny he's a great player.

CongoPowers

Greatest idea for a thread ever.

kryogen

THFC wrote: »

Haven't a clue about Iniesta but very much doubt Messi is. They've both spent the majority of their lives in Catalonia though, and Messi has a Spanish passport afaik.

I doubt it too but thought I'd ask in case that was what you meant by being as good as Catalan, I don't know Messi's heritage but I would doubt he is descended from Cataln blood, there are not that many in Argentina. ( a quick wiki says there are about 178,000 Catalan in Argentina)

dfx-

Blatter wrote: »

On Busquets, I do think he'll go on to be probably the greatest defensive midfielder of all time. He's already one of them, that's for sure. Has the first touch and composure of a God, almost never loses the ball and his positioning is second to none.

He must have some supernatural peripheral radar with regard to protecting the ball. Even if the referee comes near him..

I was one of the ones preferring Toure to him at Barcelona. Certainly Toure was a better emergency centre-half than Busquets is even now. At the time Yaya was playing, he was more dynamic than Busquets was as well. I was worried after he left.

But then, Busquets came into his own. He was pivotal in turning the game in the Champions League final. Letting Xavi drop deep and sending Busquets into the middle where Xavi was being marshalled and he coped with the change. I don't think of many 'defensive' midfielders managing that, it's a very one dimensional role generally.

CongoPowers

kryogen wrote: »

I doubt it too but thought I'd ask in case that was what you meant by being as good as Catalan, I don't know Messi's heritage but I would doubt he is descended from Cataln blood, there are not that many in Argentina. ( a quick wiki says there are about 178,000 Catalan in Argentina)

I haven't heard of any Catalan connection through either family, but they're accepted as adopted Catalans by growing up there and learning the language I suppose. I'm not saying anyone would claim them as two more Catalans at Barça or anything, because they're not, but they're treated as locals all the same.

IvySlayer

closeline wrote: »

Is he and Xavi not a bit overrated. Busquets is surrounded by the best players on the world. Yes he is an excellent player but the majority of his passes are 5 yards and mostly sideways. I hate him by the way. Anyway Iniesta is miles ahead of both of them.

What Busquets and Iniesta do are wayyyy different. Iniesta and Xavi also have different roles..

kryogen

CongoPowers wrote: »

I haven't heard of any Catalan connection through either family, but they're accepted as adopted Catalans by growing up there and learning the language I suppose. I'm not saying anyone would claim them as two more Catalans at Barça or anything, because they're not, but they're treated as locals all the same.

Oh I understand how highly they are thought of among the locals, my points were just about disproving the theory that the only reason Sergio was being picked ahead of Yaya was because of where he came from. That is lazy thinking and it simply isn't true, Barca take pride in having Catalan players making up most of the team, but it is not a requirement to play for Barca in the same way it is for Bilbao

Equium

naughtb4 wrote: »

Iniesta is from Albacete (and invests in the club if i recall correctly)

In fact, Iniesta was all set to join Real Madrid as a youngster until they moved the youth team's residence to the city's red light district. Andres' parents were unimpressed and so brought him for trials at La Masia instead. So, yeah, he wasn't born a Catalan, but they have certainly adopted him as one.

Jimmy Iovine

He pisses me off big time with the antics he gets up to. There is no denying his sheer class though.

I had an argument with a friend the other week about him. He claimed that Busquets is shíte, can't pass the ball, the usual nonsense. It's one of the most outrageous things I've ever heard. He'd walk into every single team in the world at the moment. It's crazy how much he has won at the age he is.

CongoPowers

Equium wrote: »

In fact, Iniesta was all set to join Real Madrid as a youngster until they moved the youth team's residence to the city's red light district. Andres' parents were unimpressed and so brought him for trials at La Masia instead. So, yeah, he wasn't born a Catalan, but they have certainly adopted him as one.

I'm not saying this is untrue by any means, because I know he watched games at the Bernabéu as a kid, but I've never actually heard Iniesta speak on it. The story of his parents thinking the training camp was too close to the red light district seems a bit odd..

Any link to an interview or anything?

handsomecake

i use busquets as an invisible barometer of whether people know anything about football and really "watch" a game.

he is an incredible player and the main reason for spains defensive record over the last few years.
he is a seriously cultured passer of a football too.
i dont appreciate the peeking through the fingers at motta incident but he is no drogba in that regard.

congratulations to all who appreciate him in the thread. you've passed

handsomecake

CongoPowers wrote: »

I'm not saying this is untrue by any means, because I know he watched games at the Bernabéu as a kid, but I've never actually heard Iniesta speak on it. The story of his parents thinking the training camp was too close to the red light district seems a bit odd..

Any link to an interview or anything?

thats not the way graham hunter outlines how he signed in his book either. he was playyig for a team in the alevin league and barca scouted him

CongoPowers

I've always heard something closer to that, yeah. I thought he impressed in an under-age tournament, attracted a few clubs, and apparently that his parents knew a Barça youth coach at the time. Again though, I haven't even heard him speak about that.

closeline

handsomecake wrote: »

i use busquets as an invisible barometer of whether people know anything about football and really "watch" a game.

he is an incredible player and the main reason for spains defensive record over the last few years.
he is a seriously cultured passer of a football too.
i dont appreciate the peeking through the fingers at motta incident but he is no drogba in that regard.

congratulations to all who appreciate him in the thread. you've passed

He is worse then Drogba.

closeline

missingtime wrote: »

I dont understand this idea that short, 5 yard, mostly sideways passes are considered a negative.

Not saying they are negative but nothing spectacular. The majority of Xavis passes are like this.